The run might be over for the TSCH 96 Nsien Under-19 team at the U.S. Youth Soccer Region III Championships, but it's far from finished for three of its players.
Bradly Amos, Colton Jackson and Tyler Ridener helped TSCH 96 advance to the under-19 boys final Wednesday at Burns Park in North Little Rock, but the Tulsa-based team lost 3-0 to GSA 96 Premier of Georgia.
Today’s finals
At Burns Park, North Little Rock
BOYS UNDER-14
GSA 01 Premier (Ga.) vs. Houstonians 2001 (Texas), 9:30 a.m. (Field 17)
BOYS UNDER-15
Dallas Texans 00 Red vs. United FA 00 Premier (Ga.), 9:30 a.m. (Field 1)
BOYS UNDER-16
CESA 98 Premier (S.C.) vs. Houston Express, 7:45 a.m. (Field 2)
BOYS UNDER-17
FC Alliance 98 Black (Tenn.) vs. FC Dallas 98 Premier, 9:45 a.m. (Field 2)
BOYS UNDER-18
NASA 15 Elite (Ga.) vs. FC Dallas 97 Gold, 7:15 a.m. (Field 1)
GIRLS UNDER-14
Sunrise Sting 00/01 (Fla.) vs. Tophat 19 Gold (Ga.), 10:15 a.m. (Field 4)
GIRLS UNDER-15
Solar Chelsea Elite 00 (Texas) vs. Tophat 18 Gold (Ga.), 10 a.m. (Field 3)
GIRLS UNDER-16
99 Lady Lobos Rush Premier (Tenn.) vs. Tophat 17 Gold (Ga.), 7:30 a.m. (Field 3)
GIRLS UNDER-17
Tampa Bay United 97 Premier (Fla.) vs. Tophat 16 Gold (Ga.), 8:15 a.m. (Field 4)
U.S. Youth Soccer Region III scores
At Burns Park, North Little Rock NOTE Regional champions advance to National Championships, July 21-26 in Tulsa
WEDNESDAY’S FINALS
BOYS UNDER-13
SCUFC 01 Elite (S.C.) 1, Solar Chelsea 02 Red (Texas) 0
BOYS UNDER-19
GSA 96 Premier (Ga.) 3, TSCH 96 Nsien (Okla.) 0
GIRLS UNDER-13
Albion Hurricanes 02 (Texas) 2, Creeks Krush Elite (Fla.) 0
GIRLS UNDER-18
97 Louisiana Fire Navy 4, AHFC 97 (Texas) 1
GIRLS UNDER-19
Tampa Bay United Premier (Fla.) 2, BUSA 96 (Ala.) 1
WEDNESDAY’S SEMIFINALS
BOYS UNDER-14
Houstonians 2001 (Texas) 2, WSA 01 White (Okla.) 0 GSA 01 Premier (Ga.) 2, Tampa Bay United (Fla.) 0
BOYS UNDER-15
United FA Premier (Ga.) 2, Concorde Fire 99/00 (Ga.) 1 Dallas Texans 00 Red 2, South Carolina United FC 99 Elite 1
BOYS UNDER-16
Houston Express 3, 98 CASL Red (N.C.) 1
CESA 98 Premier (S.C.) 2, Oklahoma FC 99 1
BOYS UNDER-17
FC Dallas 98 Premier 5, CESA 97 Premier (S.C.) 1 FC Alliance 98 Black (Tenn.) 1, Bryson Park/KSA 98 Premier (Ga.) 0
BOYS UNDER-18
FC Dallas 97 Gold 5, Bryson Park/KSA 97 Premier (Ga.) 4 NASA 15 Elite (Ga.) 5, South Carolina United FC 96 Elite 0
GIRLS UNDER-14
Tophat 19 Gold (Ga.) 3, Dallas Kicks SC 01 1 Sunrise Sting 00/01 (Fla.) 1, OFC 01
Phillips (Okla.) 0
GIRLS UNDER-15
Tophat 18 Gold (Ga.) 1, Tennessee SC 18 0 Solar Chelsea Elite 10 (Texas) 6, FC Alliance 00 (Tenn.) 3
GIRLS UNDER-16
Tophat 17 Gold (Ga.) 2, Oklahoma FC 99 0 99 Lady Lobos Rush Premier (Tenn.) 4, NASA 17 Elite (Ga.) 2
GIRLS UNDER-17
Tampa Bay United 97 Premier (Fla.) 1, Tennessee SC 16 0 (4-3 PK) Tophat 16 Gold (Ga.) 2, Carolina Rapids 97 Burgundy (S.C.) 1
It marked the end of a successful youth soccer run for Amos, Jackson and Ridener, but at least their days of playing together aren't over. All three will return to the University of Central Arkansas next season, where they will be sophomores on the men's soccer team.
"One last time," Ridener said. "It was fun."
Michael Nsien, who has coached the three players with various club teams over the past five years, said the team's chemistry has been excellent throughout the spring and attributed much of that to the Amos, Jackson and Ridener.
"I've coached these kids a long time," Nsien said. "Every year, they've gotten better."
All three have played together since they were 13 years old. Amos and Ridener went to rival high schools in Tulsa -- Amos attended Tulsa Union and Ridener attended Jenks -- while Jackson is from Skiatook, Okla.
"We're all pretty close friends," Amos said. "We have quite a bit of chemistry. It transfers over to college."
The familiarity of playing together over the past seven years has been beneficial.
"We know where each other is at on the field and know what they're going to do," Ridener said. "Especially on free kicks, where me and Brad can connect pretty well, and Colton on the long balls."
Last fall, Ridener started 17 games as a defender for UCA and recorded an assist. Jackson, a forward, had a goal and an assist in 14 games, while Amos, a midfielder, failed record any statistics.
UCA Coach Ross Duncan said the players' styles are very different but they complement each other.
"Colton is a very unique, attacking player," Duncan said. "He can score on anyone. He's difficult to defend. Bradley is a technical player. He's dangerous around the 18.
"Tyler is an all-around good soccer player. He's athletic. He can play the center back like he did today. We play him at the outside back. We play him in the midfield. He's very disciplined."
Playing with Nsien's club teams has helped prepare Amos, Jackson and Ridener for Division I soccer because his teams play a possession style of soccer.
"Any of us wouldn't be the same players we are today without the coaches we have with this club," Jackson said.
UCA, which plays in the Missouri Valley Conference in soccer, went 3-13-1 last season. Duncan said the Bears will be young this fall, but he expects improvement over last season with the help of Amos, Jackson and Ridener.
"We're going to be a competitive group in every game we play in," Duncan said. "We want to be in the conference playoffs, and we want to compete for a championship this year."
BOYS' UNDER-19 FINAL
Georgia beats Oklahoma
The GSA 96 Premier Under-19 boys team from Georgia got goals from Trenton Whitely, Algbekan Nosegbe and Brahan Gamarra in a 3-0 victory over TSCH 96 Nsien from Oklahoma.
Whitely scored in the 27th minute to give Georgia a 1-0 lead.
In the 64th minute Ryan Marcano found Nosegbe, who put it in the back of the net past Oklahoma goalkeeper Ronald Comeau for a 2-0 lead.
Gamarra scored in the 90th minute to close out the scoring for Georgia.
GIRLS UNDER-19 FINAL
Tampa Bay wins
Tampa Bay (Fla.) United Premier overcame an early deficit and beat Birmingham (Ala.) United 96 2-1 in the under-19 girls final.
Jean Moffitt gave Birmingham a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute, but Tampa Bay came back with two goals over the next seven minutes
Debra Hahn scored the equalizer for Tampa Bay to make it 1-1 in the 23rd minute. Three minutes later, Abigail Sanchez gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead.
GIRLS UNDER-18 FINAL
Louisiana takes title
The 97 Louisiana Fire Navy team got a goal from Cadie Higginson in the fifth minute and went on to beat AHFC 97 of Texas 4-1.
Louisiana led 3-0 at halftime after goals from Eleanor Pratt in the 36th minute and Alexandra Thomas in the 44th minute.
Kirsten Diaz cut the lead to 3-1 in the 49th minute, but Martha Jane Williams extended Louisiana Fire's lead to 4-1 in the 74th minute.
Sports on 06/25/2015